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Helping people with dementia

Luke Hendry/The INtelligencer
The Alzheimer Society's Amelia Huffman stands in West Zwick's Centennial Park Thursday in Belleville. The society's main fundraiser, the Walk for Alzheimer's, is scheduled for May 30 in the park and more participants are needed.

More participants are needed for an annual walk helping local people with dementia and their caregivers.
Belleville’s Walk for Alzheimer’s returns Sunday, May 28 at West Zwick’s Centennial Park. It raises funds for the Alzheimer Society of Hastings-Prince Edward.
Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia affects about 564,000 Canadians, with 25,000 more diagnoses every year, the society reports. There are an estimated 16,000 Canadians with dementia who are younger than 65.
Belleville fund development co-ordinator Amelia Huffman said increased awareness of the society and its services has increased demand.
“Attendance at all of our support groups is up substantially, which is great to see,” Huffman said. “They really lean on each other.
“Demand for educational and training services for both caregivers and professionals has been up.
“We’ve had to expand our services and provide a few additional support groups in the area,” said Huffman.
There’s now a new group in Picton for adults caring for parents with dementia and increased interest in two Belleville groups for caregivers – one for men, the other for women.
Attendance at one recent seminar for caregivers reached 80 people, double the previous record.
Huffman attributed the increases to more awareness of the society and its services.
“We encourage more people to not only receive one-on-one services but to get more involved in the social aspect as well,” she said. Staff organize outings for meals and more.
It’s only the second year in which the Belleville walk has had an outdoor route. It was held previously each January in the Bay View Mall.
Last year’s walk brought out more than 100 people and raised in excess of $27,000 and $5 million nationally.
This year, said Huffman, “sponsorship has really been great.”
“The community has really been behind it.”
Sponsors had by Thursday donated about $6,000, she said, with a further $4,000 coming from walkers’ pledges. Huffman said most pledges aren’t known until the walk begins.
This year’s grand prize is a basket of gift certificates and items from local businesses.
“Everyone who raises over $500 gets entered in a draw to win a quilt,” she said.
“We have more prizes for second- and third-place winners.”
Registration begins at 9:30 a.m. at the park’s Lions Club Pavilion. Turn right off of Bay Bridge Drive, then turn right and follow the west parking lot.
The walk begins at 10 a.m., ending at noon. One- and three-kilometre stretches are planned, but walkers will have to avoid the usual trail due to flooding. Huffman said the paved parking lots will instead be used.
For details on the walk, call 613-962-0892 or visit alzheimerhpe.ca. The office is in the north end of the Bay View Mall, 470 Dundas St. E. Use the northwest doors near the medical clinic just south of Bridge Street East.
lhendry@postmedia.com